WINNER OF THE DERBY, 1854. BY CASTOR. Andover, bred by Mr. W. Etwall, in 1851, was got by Bay Middleton, dam (sister to Ægis) by Defence,' out of Soldier's Joy, by the Colonel—Galatea, by Amadis. Bay Middleton, bred by Lord Jersey, in 1833, is by Sultan out of Cobweb, by Phantom-her dam Filagree, by Soothsayer-Web by Waxy-Penelope by Trumpator. Bay Middleton, who as a race-horse never was beaten, ranks himself in the records of Derby Winners, where his two sons, the Flying Dutchman and Andover, have become also enrolled. For the last few seasons he has been rather going out of fashion as a stallion, though now the tide is likely enough to turn again in his favour. Sister to Ægis, bred by Mr. W. Etwall, in 1844, was put to the stud at four years old, throwing a filly to Venison in 1849, Longstock Lass in 1850, Andoyer in 1851, a filly by Thistlewhipper in 1852, and a brother to Andover this season. The mare never ran but once, without a place in the July Stakes of her year. Andover is a good hard bay horse, standing barely fifteen hands, two inches high; he has a very blood-like handsome head, strong neck, beautiful shoulders, and great depth of girth ; if anything, he is somewhat slack in his loins, but has strong quarters, short gaskins, with very good knees and hocks-large in the bone and short in the leg. He is altogether a low, lengthy, and very good-looking horse, with a capital even temper to carry out his other accomplishments. His only “mark" is the white off-side heel. PERFORMANCES. Andover was sold when a yearling, as it is generally understood, to Messrs. Gully and Padwick, Mr. Etwall having certain contingencies dependent on his future success. The colt went at once into the Danebury stable. In 1853, as Andover, then two years old, in Mr. Gully's colours, ridden by Alfred Day, and carrying 8st. 7lb., he ran third for the Ham Stakes at Goodwood, T.Y.C., won by Lord Clifden's Alembic, &st. 10lb. ; Lord Derby's Sortie, 8st. Alb., second. The following were not placed :-Mr. Holland's Eccleston, 8st. 71b.'; Mr. Kent's Stonehenge, 8st. 71b. ; Mr. Payne's Boer, 8st. 41b. ; Mr. Knowles's Baalbec, 8st. 101b.; and the Duke of Richmond's colt by Van Tromp out of Reel, Sst. 71b.—5 to 4 on Andover, who was beaten a neck for second, and a length from the winner. At the same meeting, ridden by Alfred Day, carrying 8st. 71b., he won the Molecomb Stakes of 50 sovs. each, &c., T.Y.C., beating Mr. W, Cookson's Mincemeat, &st. 41b. (2), Mr. Knowles's The Caliph, 8st. 71b. (3), Lord Exeter's Amos, 8st. 71b. (4), and Mr. Payne's Strutaway, 8st. 416.-Even on Andover, who won by a length and a half. At Brighton Club, carrying 8st. 9lb., he walked over for a two-yearold Sweepstakes of 50 sovs. each, &c., T.Y.C.-Mr. Thelluson's Donna Sabina, 8st. llb., withdrawing her stake. At the same meeting, ridden by Alfred Day, and carrying 8st. 1llb., he won a Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, with 100 added-half a milebeating Mr. Greville's Quince, 8st. 41b. (2), Duke of Richmond's colt by Van Tromp, out of Reel, 8st. 41b. (3), Mr. Spence's Trump Queen, 8st. 41b. (4), and Mr. Hobson's filly by John O'Gaunt, out of Recruit's dam, &st. 416.—5 to 4 against Andover, who won by a head ; and a head between the second and third. Andover, although engaged in the Criterion, did not appear again as a two-year-old. In fact, he was said to have been for some time thrown up with a bad hock or foot, for which Mr. Major was called in, and whose treatment of the case is allowed by the stable to have been most satisfactory. Once more fit for work, the horse was reserved for the Epsom Meeting of the present season, where, ridden by Alfred Day, he realized the confidence of his party by winning the Derby Stakes of 50 sovs. each, &c., 8st. 71b, each- a mile and a half-beating Baron Rothschild's King Tom (2), Mr. Gully's Hermit (3), Mr. Copperthwaite's The Early Bird (4), and the following not placed :-Lord Derby's Dervish, Mr. R. E. Cooper's Autocrat, Mr. R. E. Cooper's Woodcote, Lord Zetland's Hospodar, Lord Lonsdale's Welham, Mr. J. A. Taylor's The First Lord, Mr. Powney's Marc Antony, Baron Rothschild's Middlesex, Mr. C. Spence's Canute, Mr. S. Walker's Winkfield, Mr. E. R. Clark's Punch Box, Sir T. Burke's Grey Plover, Mr, Clarkson's Neville, Mr. Newland's Bracken, Lord Chesterfield's New Warrior, Mr. Gregory's Papageno, Mr. Morris's Knight of St. George, Lord Clifden's Alembic, Lord Clifden's Rodo Meli, Sir R. Pigot's Coup d'Etat, Mr. Merry's Wild Huntsman, Mr. Osbaldeston's Champagne, and Mr. Knowles's Marsyas.—7 to 2 against Andover, who won in a canter by a length. SUMMARY OF ANDOVER'S PERFORMANCES. The Molecomb Stakes, at Goodwood, value clear......£500 175 ditto ... ............ 135 .......... 5950 £6760 Andover's engagements are, first, in a three-year-old Triennial Stake at Stockbridge, where, with 7lb. extra, he is opposed to Scythian, Bribery, Champagne, Marsyas, Middlesex, and others. He is also, with 10lb. extra, in the Stewards' Plate at Stockbridge, which boasts of a very strong entry at weight for age, with various penalties for winners. We find him next at Goodwood, in a Three-year-old Stake, without penalties, versus King Tom, Meteora, &c.; then in the Champagne at Brighton, at weight for age, with Kingston, Sittingbourne, Rataplan, Hungerford, and Co. ; in the County Plate at York, and in the Dee Stakes at Doncaster, where King Tom is once more the most formidable of his opponents. The Derby of ’54 must be considered the first grand hit made by the brothers John and Alfred Day, since they have set up on their own account ; it is, in fact, the first great race in which the latter has landed his horse a winner, despite the generally prominent position of those he has ridden, and his own unquestionable ability as a jockey. Luck, however, which so far has been rather against him, appears now on the turn, and his success since the Wednesday at Epsom has been remarkable. Mr. Gully, with whose colours and name Andover is more especially identified, has previously won the Derby with Pyrrhus the First, the Oaks with Mendicant, and the St. Leger with Margrave. BY CRAVEN. " Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of man JULIUS CÆSAR. The exigence of publication must plead privilege for two days' retrospection, in this article, into the merry month of May. Epsom races commenced on the 30th of that pleasant tide in the affairs of men ; and before the return of them is registered, it is best to refer to their reverie. “In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas.” The great annual racing festival on Epsom Downs-now submitted for analysis, notwithstanding the absence of so many noble and gentle patrons of the turf, in the opinion of the anticipative-bids fair to be as well attended, and quite as successful as any previous meeting...Foremost of the attractions of course was the Derby, thus oracularly Del. phosized : "On Wednesday, the 31st of May, general attention will of course be devoted to the Derby.. Dervish now occupies the highest position in the betting, and gives every promise of becoming as great a favourite as West Australian was at starting last year. Unlike the latter, however, he has not been brought out for any of his three-year-old engagements, consequently, in judging the chances of Dervish, we must take into consideration his present position in the market, rather than his two-year-old running, which was not equal, it must be admitted, to what ought to be looked for in a Derby winner. We are told, therefore, to discard that in toto; and, judging from the extraordinary confidence expressed by his trainer, I am in. clined to think that not only the layers against Dervish will have decidedly the worst of it, but that we shall see him a much improved and totally different horse to what he was last year. For a long time a great difference of opinion existed amongst good judges as to the relative capacity of Dervish and Acrobat, several of whom clung to the hope that the latter would take the place of Dervish at last. The scratching of Acrobat, however, must satisfy them of their error, and at the same time convince us that John Scott was assured of the superiority of Dervish before the pen was run through the name of his companion. I am not in a position to say whether the crack' will have the assistance of Frank Butler, but the latter, I hear, is making the necessary effort to ride. “Andover and Hermit represent the Danebury stable, whose supporters express themselves very sanguine as to the result—at all events of beating Dervish. Which it will be with, however, is a mystery known only tot'he party; and not being in the secret, I shall not attempt to unveil it; though, from what took place at Tattersall's, it would appear as if the winner of the Two Thousand (Hermit) will turn out to be the real Simon Pure. “ Neville has been backed very heavily of late by a clever party, who seldom go for a stake' without having felt their way pretty securely. It may fairly be assumed, therefore, that the horse has been highly tried ; and as he belongs to a gentleman of the old school, who has personally overlooked his preparation, I am inclined to believe that Neville will be found there or thereabouts at the finish. " Wild Huntsman never beat anything having any claim to the character of a race-horse, and was beaten once last year by Corin, whose running proves him to be not within one-and-twenty pounds of one. His position in the market throughout the winter has been very unsteady; and though the Hedgford people declare that such a horse-Hobbie Noble included-was never trained there, I do not expect to see the Wild Huntsman in at the death.. Marlow will ride him; and in all probability he will see a much shorter price than he is now quoted at. “Hospodar showed good speed in his races at York, this spring, and may run respectably; but I doubt that he will quite get the distance, even with Job Marson's assistance. " King Tom, until a few days since, held out great hopes to his backers; but his sudden decline in the market-arising from a severe strain in one of his hocks, whilst at exercise, and which has required the attention of Mr. Mavor, jun. -has put him hors de combat. If at the post, it is all his friends can expect for their money. His trial with Middlesex makes the latter's chance hopeless. “ The Knight of St. George, though a bolter'in Ireland, is said to have been cured of his evil propensities since his location at Hambleton; and judging from the confidence displayed by his stable, who have the right tackle to measure him with, it will not surprise me to see The Knight forward at the finish. “The running of Marsyas last year proved him to be one of the best two-yearolds out; and I cannot but think he will be in front when the race is over. “ Alembic, though he may run respectably, I have no fancy for; nor do I an. ticipate a successful issue to the backers of Bracken, Prince Arthur, Marly Hill, Champagne, Punch Box, Golden Branch, or others in that category. “Canute must have greatly improved upon his last year's form to have the slightest chance. * The Trapper, with Flatman on his back, is not unlikely to prove a formidable outsider; and I shall expect to see him beat more than beat him. Autocrat, after filling the highest position in the market for many months, was, like King Tom, sent to the right-about at Bath, during the past week. All sorts of reports have been in circulation as to the cause of his sudden decline ; the true one, we believe, being the failure of one of the joints of his off fore-leg, which has interfered with his preparation for some time past, and will probably account for the peppering he received in certain quarters during the past winter. “Papageno being dark, I can say nothing further about him, than that at Newmarket, last October, he struck me as being a good goer and a very racing-like horse. “ The Early Bird, giving 5lbs. to the Knight of St. George, beat him last year in Ireland by a neck, and in that country the former is regarded as the best of the Irish division. The Early Bird, who has been at Middleham for some months, under Dawson's care, has been frequently nibbled at the extreme outside price of 1000 to 10. “ Belgrave, it is whispered, will, like Rataplan last year, be heard of on the day.... I should recommend Belgrave to be kept on the right side. “New Warrior and Ostrogoth, after figuring amongst the second division of favourites, have recently been placed upon the shelf, and hold out but faint hopes to their backers; nor do I anticipate any returu for the investments on Winkfield, Old Noll, or Welham." Here the analysis ends-sub silentio ANDOVER. To sum up, I conclude that the front lot will consist of the following:-Dervish, Neville, The Trapper, Knight of St. George, Hermit, and Marsyas, and that the winner will be DERVISH or NEVILLE. Thursday was the antithesis of a holiday, and afforded a striking contrast to its antecedent : very little pleasure company was present, and, as the report stated, the occupants of the stand, which exhibited “a beggarly account of empty boxes," consisted almost exclusively of those interested in the proceedings. Added to this agreeable al fresco feature, the dust put its debris into your mouth, and eyes, and ears, even as the fortune-teller has put his finger into your optics the day before. The Two-Year-Old Stakes, he said, I must award to Para... The other races, as well as those on Friday, will be so materially governed by previous running, that I shall at once proceed to notice the Oaks ; but owing to the uncertainty existing as to what will constitute the field, I dare not attempt to give a list of the starters, contenting myself by remarking that the race appears to me to be John Scott's ; and if bound to select one from the lot, it would be HONEYSUCKLE Malmsey, Omen, Crosslanes, and Bribery I shall expect to see in the front rank at the finish. “Sweetsto the sweet." To this “ conclusion" may be added the apothegm, upon the principle of which, Mr. Tearingust, the eminent Newmarket tout, called “ The Hoax Prophecy." Imprimis, POSTULATE : “ London is as full as ever of the sight-seeing and pleasure-loving public, the majority of whom will, as matter of course, should the fine weather continue, make their way to Epsom on the Derby and Oaks days ; whilst the speculative fraternity, whose name is legion, will undoubtedly shine sufficiently strong on the days to enable us to report favourably of the state of the excheqner at the Grand Stand.” Secundo Proof : “ Tuesday morning opened with anything but cheering prospects, and constant heavy storms fell from an early hour. This state of things considerably damped the hopes, not only of the pleasure seekers, but also of the class who depend upon Epson, Ascot, and such like great race meetings, to realize a sufficiency by the hire of their vehicles, and the sale of refreshments, to carry them through the remainder of the year... Friday: The change in the weather, which everybody anticipated the day before, took place during the night, and the morning was ushered in with heavy rain, which fell with little intermission until the hour of noon. It then ceased-only to recommence, however, just before the commencement of the racing, the afternoon turning out a most disagreeable one for the enjoyment of what is generally termed THE LADIES' Day. The morning in town being equally unpropitious, no doubt caused vast numbers to delay their trip to Epsom to assist at the wind-up of the meeting. The show of company on the Downs, consequently, was remarkably thin ; nor did the stand, though exhibiting a good muster, obtain the same amount of patronage as we have noticed on other occasions. In the stewards' stand, likewise, we missed a great many of the influential and leading patrons of the turf, who were present on Wednesday ; but in the enclosure, speculators and others mustered in large numbers, and circulation was both difficult and dangerons.” “As is our custom of an afternoon," wherein the Hoax comes off..." Place aux dames.” Wednesday--the Derby day-gave fresh hopes to those whose anticipations, whether of pleasure or profit, had been materially damped by the storms at the commencement of the week. From an early hour the usual bustle of preparation was to be seen in every part of the metropolis ; and if there did not appear to be so many four-horse drags as we have witnessed, their place was well supplied with, or by— Omnibuses, vans, and other still more humble vehicles ! “ Laudator temporis acti.” When the Four-in-Hand Club was reviving the olympic games, “the road, on the whole, evidently was not so attractive as heretofore; but we have no doubt many were compelled to give up this their favourite method of transit, owing to their having been deterred-by the unpropitious state of the weather from engaging vehicles until it was too late." So much for comment and courteous miscolouring! Now, in the intimation introductory of the Swan of Avon, “We will draw, the curtain and show you the picture." --JULIUS CÆSAR. “Multa renascentur, quæ jam cecidere, cadentque Quæ nunc sunt in honore." On Tuesday, May the 30th, 1854, was celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of Epsom. From the various ups and downs in the specu |